The Beginning
by KagomeShikamaru
Summary: Kagome Shikamaru is a 16 year old girl orphaned by beasts who killed her parents. Determined to start anew, she finds herself on a long and emotional journey to find out who she really is and to seek out revenge on the beasts that ruined her life. Along the way, surprises meet her with friendship and romance not far behind.
1. Chapter One: Forsaken

"Kagome! Dinner's ready!" My mom called for me as I sat outside of my house one sunny evening. I smiled, looking over my shoulder once before walking away from the sword I was trying to sharpen.

My parents were masters in the Arts, magic, and sword fighting. They taught me basically everything about magic and fighting with a sword. The sword that I had was my dad's onyx blade with five fluorescent blue diamonds. My father had carved the blade himself and had _hinted_ for a week now that I might be able to have it on my birthday.

My name is Kagome Shikamaru. I am fifteen years old, but I turn sixteen tomorrow. I have shoulder-length, straight black hair and diamond blue eyes; which I get from my father. (I get my _devastating_ good looks from my mother.)

I sat at the kitchen table and thoughtfully chewed my dinner. I was thinking about tomorrow and what I would want for presents when Dad broke my train of thought.

"What're you thinking about, Kagome?" he asked. I shook myself from my thoughts.

"Tomorrow." I said simply, a smile growing on my face. He smiled widely back at me.

"So, you think you know what you want yet?" my mom asked. I giggled like a three-year-old.

"It's so hard to decide! I don't know!" I fake cried, my laughter giving me away. My parents looked at one another with laughter of their own.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to see what we can do," my dad said at last. I nodded in agreement, then went back to eating my dinner as I thought still about tomorrow.

The light of the afternoon slowly drifted away like maple syrup oozing down the sides of pancakes. While it was a bit childish for my nature to be acting this way, it was agonizing trying to push through sword training with my dad and magic lessons with my mom. It was as if I had been eating candy for two days straight rather than trying to meditate with the level of excitement that coursed through my veins. But, to no avail, the evening proceeded like normal, until the sun finally set over the horizon and the stars filled the night sky. That night, I was awake until almost the crack of dawn, slowly awaiting the arrival of my birthday.

The next morning, I awoke in pure excitement - not even caring that I had hardly slept the night before. I jumped out of bed and went soaring into the kitchen. My mom stood in front of the stove cooking my favorite as I came up behind her and hugged her tight around the waist.

"Oh! Well, hello to you, too, sweetie!" She turned and kissed my forehead. "And, happy birthday!" I smiled wide.

"Thanks, Mom." I sat down at the table as she put my breakfast in front of me. As I began to eat, my dad walked into the room with a smile and his hands behind his back. He kissed Mom on the cheek before turning to me. He slowly placed what was behind his back in front of me. And I nearly choked.

I'd just thought Dad was just going to give me the onyx sword and that was going to be it. But, laying in front of me, was the sword in its hilt, the color of the sky, and the belt that he carried it on. To have the sword complete like it was in front of me was such a great honor, I couldn't believe it. After the initial shock went away, I grabbed the sword and belt in my arms and hugged it to my chest.

"Oh my _God_! Thank you so much, Dad!" I shouted, throwing my arms around my dad and hugging him tight.

"You're welcome, Kagome." He said, hugging me back.

"Don't forget about me, Honey." My mom said. I turned around to find a little wrapped box sitting on the table in front of my plate. My mom stood beside my chair with a small smile.

"I'd never forget about you, Mom." I said as I tore at the paper on the outside of the small box. I opened the small box beneath the paper to discover, on the inside, was the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen in my life. It was a simple necklace with a bright blue diamond set stone that hung deeply from a small black chain.

"Wow! Thank you, Mom!" As fast as I could, I immediately hung the necklace from around my neck and clasped it in the back.

"That necklace was made to actually _correspond_ with the onyx sword your dad gave you. If you bind half of your soul to that sword, like we had been practicing, that necklace will actually make it so that the sword doesn't over power your soul and kill you. I hope it does you well." My mother explained. I remembered the lessons as clear as a cloudless sky what she was talking about. When a magic user, like myself, uses a sword it is common that he or she will use spells to help in battle. I had been taught many of the spells that were common among magic users and my mother had told me many years ago that when I finally get a sword to call my own I will need a talisman for soul binding. Nothing about this was new to me.

"Now," Mom began again, "Finish your breakfast and get dressed." She ordered. I nodded and sat down again to finish my meal. I did all but choke as I forced it all down my throat as fast as possible.

After running back to my room and throwing on my favorite outfit - a black top, jeans, jacket, and boots (I dislike color) - I happily tied my new sword around my waist. It fit me perfectly and the way the longsword clung to my leg when I moved made it feel like it was meant for me and me alone. Although I was ready to go out and start my day, I decided to wait a while because I wanted bind half my soul now - I was much too impatient to wait for my mother and father to watch me.

I knew how to do it; Mom had taught me a few years ago the secret to binding half you soul to objects. All it took was concentration and a simple spell - the only key was the the user had to be of magic blood. Mom and Dad had done this to their personal swords long ago, both of them having bracelets to use the spell on. Now, it was my turn.

Controlling my thoughts, I unsheathed my sword and sat down on my bedroom floor. Then, I placed the long sword in my hands and on my lap as I closed my eyes. I slowly, and clearly, said the incantation that my mother had taught me then concentrated _all_ of my energy onto the sword in my hands and the piece of jewelry around my neck. When I began to feel the power welling up inside my body and into my sword, I said the final words of the spell to complete the ritual. As the last word left my lips, I felt a heat from inside me burst and I gasped. Not in pain, but in shock at the feeling. I opened my eyes to find my sword faintly glowing in my hands as the necklace on my neck felt very hot. I didn't know how, but right in that moment I knew that it was complete.

When I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, I gasped. Under my left and right eye was a mark. I could not really tell what it looked like, but as I touched it, it felt as if nothing was there. It was nothing like makeup or a tattoo, but the lines were solid black as if drawn on. I simply stood in shock as my fingers glided over my skin and the markings.

As I stroked the marks, I began to wonder if I had done the whole thing correctly or not. This made me very anxious, so I quickly put my sword back into the hilt and ran out of my room back into the kitchen in search of my parents.

When I got there, I stopped. They weren't anywhere in sight. Confused, I ran to their room as a sickening feeling arose in my stomach. I ignored it as I searched the rest of the house. Almost in panic now, for some reason, I quickly ran to the back door.

Where could they be? I thought. I wonder if…

My thoughts trailed off as I heard a shrill scream escape from somewhere outside. I ran in fright towards the noise.

Blasting open the back door, my head whipped around. Near my dad's work shed, my eyes grew wide at the scene that suddenly appeared before me.

My dad was standing with his sword in both of his hands in front of Mom who was on the ground clutching her left arm and bleeding profusely. Dad was also bleeding from his lip and head, but didn't seem to notice. My gaze then traveled to the things in which my parents were trying to fight against, yet failing. A swarm of Forsaken were gathering in front of my injured parents and taking advantage of _every_ weakness they had. Finally seeing what was going on, I snapped out of my earlier shock and screamed.

"Mom! Dad!" My body was beginning to tremble. My dad didn't move from his position, but tensed. My mom looked up to me in fear as she yelled out back to me, but I couldn't hear her over all of the Forsaken. In a burst of light, she was thrown back, causing a scream from her again that was louder than before. My dad jumped back with a shriek of his own, still trying to defend my mother, then grasped his sword with a strength I had never seen in him before.

Dumbly, I didn't move from where I stood as I watched, in horror, as my father threw himself at the beasts that were trying to kill the woman he loved and the family he had worked so hard for. I screamed again at my dad and at my mom, who was now looking to be unconscious. My eyes filled with tears and I began to step forward out of fear and hope. My dad hit the ground hard next to Mom as he reached out his arm towards her lifeless body covered in blood.

I ached to touch them, to hold them and tell them that it was all right, to tell them that I will protect them. That I loved them… But my thoughts were in vain as the Forsaken inched closer and closer to my parents and their bloody bodies. Bursting out of my shock, I ran to block the attack; quickly taking my sword out of its sheath like I had been taught many, many times. My body was running on adrenaline now as my fighting and combat training kicked into full gear.

I swung my sword in the air before the first of the Forsaken hit; cutting the bastard in half and making him sort of dissolve into goo. It was disgusting. I cut a second and third one as I positioned myself in front of Mom and Dad in the stance that I knew by heart. The rest of them were coming again, faster now than before. I tensed as Dad had and readied myself for the first real battle of my life.

"Kagome! What are you doing? Stop, you're going to get yourself killed!" my dad shouted at me. I shook my head and my eyes began to fill with tears once more.

"No! I have to do this! For both of you! I won't let them kill you!" I shouted back.

"It won't be long now," he whispered. Through our tears, I wondered what he meant. "We're both going to be gone soon and I need you to do something for me… Kagome…" he coughed loudly and I wanted so badly to turn and hug both of them tight but the Forsaken were coming one after the other with no let up. My sword clanged against the hard skins of their bodies before I found the soft spot and sliced them all into pieces and goo.

"Don't talk like-!"

"Meet your siblings. Your brother and sister. I know you've never known about them, but your mother and I were going to tell you when you turned eighteen. I'm so sorry, Kagome…" he coughed and spit so loudly it was hard not to flinch in pain myself. I sliced another, and another...

"Kag.. Live your life to the fullest... for us... Have kids... Marry... We-" my father's voice faded into the screeches of the monsters around me as goo slid off my sword and my body was becoming drenched in blood and sweat. As the last of the blobs fell to the once green grass around my house, my bones and muscles ached with the pain of someone's first battle won. But I wasn't the least bit happy about it. And I know that I never will be.

I let the now heavy sword in my hand fall to the earth as I fell to my knees. I turned my body and used the last of my strength to pull my body to the lifeless forms that I knew once as my parents. As I took my father's cold hand into my grasp, I couldn't hold it back. Sobs coursed through my body hard one after the other into my father's lifeless chest and again into the body of my mother; so beautiful to everyone she met. Now, she was laying in blood and goo, as lifeless as the love of her life that clutched her arm next to her. It was as if I was in a nightmare.

My parents were dead. My birthday was ruined. I had lost the most important people in my life.

How could this have happened? What did I ever do to deserve such cruelty. On my birthday, of all days? My eyes stung with the breeze in the air, blowing the stench of blood and goop into my already aching throat. I rested my sword on my shoulder and I walked around the house, making sure the coast was finally clear. Making sure everything was dead, I went to my parents, their bodies causing another sob to get stuck in my chest.

"Mom... Dad... Why? I still had so much to learn. You... You can't be gone."

They lay there, my mother and father; unmoving, cold, and dead. I could feel the sting of tears again as I positioned their bodies and placed their swords on their chests. I covered my mouth, so as not to let out the sharp cry I held in. Moving my mother's cold hands, I saw that one of her hands was balled into a fist.

I undid it to find a piece of paper crumbled tight and unfolded it to read what my mom's beautiful script had scrawled.

_Dear Kagome_, it read. _Happy birthday to a young woman who is as smart as she is talented and beautiful. We love you so much and wish you the happiest birthday from today and many days in the future. Hope your birthday is the best ever. We love you, Mom and Dad._

The cry got away from me then as I began to weep hard once more. The familiar message that they had always put on their own home-made birthday cards for me had me shaking. This had to be my fault...

Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I sniffed as I held the sob in and stood. I knew what had to be done.

I ran inside to my room. Looking around, I found a few bags and filled them with almost everything that I could carry. Then, I went back outside with my things and set them down before getting a shovel from my dad's shed and digging a large hole in the backyard. Very carefully, I placed my parents into the hole and didn't look as I buried them. After that, I stood in front of my house again, bags at my feet and eyes red from many, many tears. I tried to think of another way, but decided that this was for the best. It had to be.

Taking a lighter I had found in the kitchen drawer, I opened the lid and flipped the switch.

"This is it," I whispered to myself, a sob getting caught in my chest once again. I threw the lit lighter, watching my childhood home become nothing but flames as it exploded into red and orange.

"No turning back. It's only forward from this day on." I turned away from my burning home to walk into my father's shed.

I paused outside of it to look at it and remember. What fond memories those were. I walked inside and began clearing it out; putting what I thought necessary for leaving into sacks and placing them with my things. I found a cart, too, which I placed the last of my belongings in. With a sigh and even more tears, I took a matchbook from inside the sheed and lit what was left of the fond memories of my father up into flames. This took even quicker because the shed was mostly dry wood and hay.

I solemnly gazed at both burning buildings, perplexed. I knew leaving was going to be the hardest part, and getting over the memories was going to be even worse.

I touched my necklace with one hand and turned away from all the good memories and the bad. All of my happiness was gone, only pain was left on my shoulders. I knew I couldn't stay no matter how bad my heart wanted to. I knew that if I didn't leave there would never be a light in my life again.

I picked up my cart and began to walk away from the ashes of my past. While there was no light in sight, I knew that what lied ahead of me could only be a better future.


	2. Chapter Two: Mind Reading

I'd decided when I'd left my home burning, that I would start anew - always travel and never stay in one place for too long. That way I wouldn't become too attached to anyone or anything and nothing would lose meaning. I knew that if I ever let myself get too close to any one person or a specific town I could risk the same loss that I had to endure before, so I would never let that happen again. Along with that promise, I knew that I had to avenge the death of my parents. With their passing fresh in my memory everywhere I went, it was hard not to think about killing every last Forsaken in the world. But it had to be my goal - there was nothing else to live for.

As I began my journey, there was something about the way that I held myself that attracted men to me. I knew that I was pretty well-endowed with "the goods" as most men put it, but at the same time it felt as if they were drawn to me or even flocked to me! I never understood it, but I also never minded it. But that was only the beginning.

The first town I visited was nothing special. I had been traveling for about five miles or so and so many of the people knew about the fire and my parents because my father had been the best blacksmith within a hundred mile radius. No one recognized me, thank the Gods, but after two or three days, everyone assumed that I had died in the fire after the Forsaken had killed and dragged away the bodies of my parents. At least, that was one rumor. I was also fortunate enough to have the money for food and medicine for my long journey ahead and for the ache in my temples.

The next two towns I traveled to were quite like the first; people talking about the devastating fire and Forsaken attack and my brain wanting to throb out of my skull. I literally thought that I was going to die from the pain. But, I got through it well enough. The men were just lucky I was never in a mood to kill anyone who talked to me.

One town in particular at the beginning of my journey stood out almost above the rest. I wandered into the town with a clear head and a straight face, which was new because my head was finally feeling better than it had in weeks. I got many stares, as usual, as I walked from store to store, restocking my food supply. When I had come out of the third store or so, a group of three guys were surrounding my cart. The cart that I used wasn't extremely large, maybe about a foot larger than a wheelbarrow, so three guys could easily surround it and make it look like something was up.

I stopped when I stood before them and stared at them, one hand on my hip. Each one was very handsome, I could give them that, but they all looked way too smug for my taste - like they seemed positive that they could win me over. It annoyed me. I rolled my eyes and slightly winced at a painful humming in my head. What a waste of time this was going to be.

"Hey." The oldest-looking one said, nodding his head in my direction.

"Um, hello." I replied. I tried to slide past each man to put my supplies in my cart as each one tried to talk to me.

"So, there's this fair tonight, and-" The youngest-looking one chattered.

"We want you to go with us." The middle-looking one blurted out; straight to the point. I half smiled, liking it in a guy when he got straight to things. Maybe this would be more fun than I thought.

With buzzing in my head I stared at each of them in their muddy eyes. They really weren't that good looking, but they did know what they wanted and, being someone who likes things straight to the point, I admired that.

"I don't think that I will go because I'm not from around here, but even so, I would only go with one of you. Sorry." my half smile grew just a bit at the hilarious conversation unfolding.

_Damn, I would fuck that grin right off her face._

My smile dropped and I frowned. "What?"

"What?" the taller one asked, confused at my sudden question. Sure I didn't-

_Now that's a body if I ever did see one..._

_Why won't she go to the fair with all of us? It would be funner that way..._

"I really don't want to go to the fair, I'm sorry. But stop fucking talking about my body, you creep!" I blurted. Each boy looked at me in shock, like I had just smacked them each in the face. I must have scared them at that point because each guy said sorry and walked away, leaving behind the older-looking one to stare for a second longer before calling me a bitch and leaving. (A bit harsh, if you ask me.)

I must be out of my mind. No way that was what I thought it was, surely. Did I just... read those guys' minds? No. That's stupid. I stood in the same spot for a minute more before snapping myself out of it and trying to go on with my day. That's not possible... is it? I remembered reading once where a high priestess who had meditated for so long was able to achieve other worldly powers. I was very skilled in magic and sword combat, but there was no way I could get "other worldly powers." Surely.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I just need sleep, that's what it is. Easy explanation. Right?

_She's going to get hurt if she keeps zoning out like that._

My head snapped towards the voice, somehow I knew that it was talking about me. An older man was staring at me from across the road as I crossed. He was wearing very dirty glasses and sitting at an outside cafe table. As soon as my eyes met his, he turned his head to quickly avoid my stare.

That was just... all in my head nothing else. Yeah. That had to be-

_Fuck! Stupid pot holes!_

The man next to me seemed to be shouting... but he never moved his mouth. Okay, now there is no way-

_That's an odd sword._

_Damn all these people! You would think that today is a holiday or something! It's just a fair! ..._

_I hope I can get a new dress today before the fair._

_That woman is very attractive._

_I wonder if Lala is coming to the fair tonight..._

And just like that, there was voice after voice after voice inside my head, so crazy and all over the place it was as if every single person was saying something at the exact same time. Some voices were loud, some soft, some far away, and some very close. It was like buzzing - but ten times worse. I could hardly stand it. With each loud, shouting voice, my vision worsened and I became dizzy. I need to get somewhere was my only personal coherent thought.

I managed to stumble into an empty alley-way where I could stumble against the walls and no one would care much - at least I hoped not that much. With all the energy I could muster, I placed my fingers on my temples and rubbed. As I rubbed, I started to chant the protection spell that my mother used to chant every night before I went to sleep. I didn't know if it was going to do any good but it was the only thing that I could do.

With each chant, it surprisingly got easier to bare. As the voices became quieter, I tried to concentrate my thoughts so I could block out any or all voices in my head.

By the time I was able to walk out of the alley and then finally out of the town, the voices were manageable but not all the way gone. Still, under all the concentration and deep breathing, I was shocked. I could read minds? That was... amazing to me.

As my legs dragged me to another town and another place, farther and farther into the future, I slowly learned to control my new powers. As I did, my goals and my promises slowly began to change.


	3. Chapter Three: Liore

One Year Later

The year that followed the discovery of my "powers" was both uneventful and quite stressful. Along with my burden that I held on my shoulders, I had realized that I needed to avenge the death of my parents and kill every Forsaken that existed. But something seemed funny to me; with research, I had figured out that Forsaken do not usually attack without purpose, let alone in a group the size that had attacked my home. I wasn't sure if my parents had done something to aggravate the Forsaken, but, either way, it was highly unlikely that they had just showed up out of nowhere to destroy my childhood home. There had to be something more, and I was going to figure it out one way or another. Deep in thought one hot summer day, I came across a rather large town. It was surrounded by sand and full of people sweating and working very hard.

The sign read "Liore" as I walked up the paths that lead to this desert town.

Weird name, I thought. The town seemed normal enough with everyone wearing tank tops and shorts or no shirts at all. I noticed this only because of a small boy dressed heavily in dark clothing and a long red coat walking in front of me towards the town's square. I couldn't say much, with the black cloak that I wore to protect me from the sun, but he seemed to catch my eye. A large suit of armor was next to him as they walked at a normal pace until the boy suddenly began to sprint. He dashed screaming the word "water" as he runned towards a fountain in the center of town. Wow, what the…? What the hell…? I thought as what looked like blood flow out of the fountain, but it seemed odd; like it was supposed to be water pouring out of the fountain instead.

"Is that blood?" The suit of armor asked, the echo of his voice ringing through the helmet of the armor. It made me stop for a moment at how hollow the suit seemed… Like there was no one inside of it…

"No. More like blood-red wine." The boy said, examining a cup in his hands as he dipped it into the fountain.

As sudden as he had filled the cup, a man came up behind the boy and the suit of armor and took them by the shoulders.

"Hey, you know the rules! Kids aren't allowed to this stuff!" He said angrily. The boy turned to the tall, sun-browned man with an obvious tan line from where he had worn a t shirt. Suddenly, the man's expression became confused as he gently let go of the armor and the boy.

"Hey, you two aren't from around here, are you?" The man asked after taking in the two strangers' appearances. I watched as the two followed him back to a café only a little ways from the wine fountain, the tall man laughing raucously. In the midst of their conversation that I was listening into, I followed as well, taking a seat across the counter from where the boy and his companion sat.

"I see! You're out-of-towners! Sorry, I thought you were just a couple of kids trying to sneak a sip or something!" he said, pouring each of them a glass of what looked to be orange juice. I sipped a cool beverage that I had ordered sitting in front of me as I nonchalantly listened to the two strangers' conversation.

"A fountain in the center of town stocked with free wine? That's pretty ritzy! This town must be loaded!" the crimson-clad boy jeered, laying his head down on the countertop, looking tired and satisfied. The café owner just laughed at him.

"Yeah, we do alright here. Oh, I almost forgot! Time for a little soul food." The owner said, reaching for a small dial on a radio dangling over his head. Almost instantly, it turned on and relaxing, spiritual music I didn't particularly like started blaring from the small music box. It filled the streets to match the radios' in every house and market on the street. The music slowly died down and the airways suddenly became filled with the persuasive voice of an unidentified man. The townsfolk bowed their heads and folded their hands as if in prayer, listening intently.

"Children of God who live upon this land, pray in faith that ye may be saved," the voice began, "As sun lights the day, so does the Sun God Leto illuminate thy path…" I looked around, noticing the nodding of heads and the whispering of prayer along with the voice of the mysterious man. After five minutes or so of the masculine voice reading scriptures, his voice stopped and the music from the beginning began to play lightly again.

"Hey, who's that on your airways?" I asked suddenly, making all who could hear me stare. The man standing before me opened his eyes one by one and looked at me with as a light flush covered his nose.

"Why, that's Sir Cornello!" He replied, placing his hands on his hips. The blonde-haired boy in the red coat looked over at me in mild interest. When I caught his eye, I smiled sweetly to cover up the fact that his thoughts and curiosities of me played out in his head as loudly as if he had said them aloud. He blushed lightly with a scowl, then turned to the man as well.

"Name doesn't ring a bell," he said as if the whole subject didn't matter, but I knew that he was very curious. I admired this red-coated boy more than I should have, maybe. At any least, he did peak my curiosity. The shop owner's eyes widened in surprise as he leaned over the counter toward the boy.

"You're kidding me! You've never heard of the Great Prophet, Cornello?" he cried, shock clear in his voice. I had to hold back a grin.

"What's so great about him?" I asked as several beer-wielding men that were sitting between the boy and I started to speak up. The hooded woman beside me took a sip of her wine.

"He can perform miracles, for one thing! I've never seen anything like it!" said one man shouted, trying to get closer to me. I scooted away from him.

"This place was a God-forsaken dust bowl before Cornello got here and transformed it into a desert paradise!" said another man sitting closer to the boy. More men then gathered around the shop, each saying something about Cornello's greatness before the blonde in red covered his ears in agitation. I couldn't hold my smirk this time.

"Well, I just remembered! We have to be somewhere!" he yelled over the ever-growing crowd. He stood and grinned up at the armor and said, "You ready to split?" The armor nodded and stood, bumping his helmet on the underside of the ledge of the front of the café. As an aftershock, the radio sitting above fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. The armored put a hand behind his neck and apologized while the shop owner looked at the broken mess in shock.

"My radio! It's the only one I own-"

"Don't bust a lung, grandpa! We can fix it!" the boy said said, holding up a hand to quiet him down. I tilted my head, curious. I was just about to offer the same help, but I obviously needed to see this.

"How're you going to do that?" he asked, standing to get a better view as the man in the armor kneeled down to draw on the sand around the busted radio. Just as I heard the man think about making another comment, the armored man stood and overlapped his hands above the strange design around the radio. Before all our eyes, the array lit with a blue electricity that flowed from the circle to the radio. In a quick flash of light, the radio had been reassembled and continued to spew out music. Others around me, as well as myself, stared in amazement as the man in armor replaced the radio in its original place gently.

"This really _is_ a land of prophets...!" the shop owner mused, staring at them in pure amazement. Still in shock, I decided to get more information on this boy, listening intently to just his thoughts. From this, a shockwave of information came flowing from his mind into my own.

"So, you guys are alchemists?" I asked, being very forward. The blonde boy caught my eye then leaned casually against the counter with a smirk.

"We're the Elric brothers. Not to brag or anything, but we're pretty well known!" He jeered proudly. The hooded woman beside me took a sip of her wine quickly. I noticed this time more than the last for the lack of anything I could hear from her mind.

"You fools. That's Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. He's pretty famous around East City, or so I've heard." The woman said in a low voice, but loud enough for everyone around us to hear.

I was so surprised, I leaned over to add, "Yeah, I think I've heard about you guys during my travels!" And I had, too. I hadn't traveled to East City, but the name did seem to come up once or twice in other parts of the country. Edward Elric was the twelve year old boy who was accepted into the army because of his alchemy skill. It was said that he was so great that he didn't even need a transmutation circle. I had never seen one, so I didn't know that that was what the man in armor was using. It was very fascinating to me, knowing that others used magic similar to my own. Next to me, a large man walked up to the man in armor and admired him adoringly.

"Yeah, I've heard about you as well!" one man said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I see how you got the name "Fullmetal!" It's because you wear that armor, isn't it?" said another.

"Hey, could you come to my daughter's birthday party?" one asked meekly. Everyone started to gather around the man in the armor asking questions about his suit and to do tricks for everyone. The man held up his hands and shook his head quickly.

"I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist!" he replied, "He is!" The man in armor pointed to the small boy that was standing on the outside of the circle that was forming around the man in armor. The entire crowd turned to look at the boy in disbelief. I could feel a smirk start to grow on my face at the angry thoughts of the boy.

"Huh? You mean that little shorty over there?" the birthday girl's father said. As if the comment had pissed him off, the small alchemist grabbed two men by their shirt collars and began twirling them around as if he were throwing javelins. His features became very animated as he lifted the men off the ground.

"SHORTY? CAN A SHORTY DO THIS? WHAT ELSE DO YA WANNA CALL ME, A HALF-PINT, BEAN SPROUT MIDGET? I'M STILL GROWING, YOU BACKWATER DESERT IDIOTS!" He screamed angrily. I couldn't hold the laugh that escaped under my breath.

"Look's like there's plenty of excitement going on around here today!" a kind voice said, coming from behind me. I turned to look and found myself gazing at a young girl of about seventeen. The girl wore her dark brown hair down with pink bangs hiding her forehead and a simple white dress clung to her figure and stopped just past her knees. She smiled sweetly at everyone. "Don't mind me! I'd hate to spoil the fun!"

"That's okay!" man in armor spoke, bowing apologetically as he turned to the girl and turning back to the man at the counter. "My name is Alphonse Elric. I'm sorry about the mess."

"And I'm Al's older brother, Edward Elric. Also known as the Fullmetal Alchemist!" the blonde said, releasing the two men finally. The girl looked at him curiously, tilting her head.

"Older brother? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Edward suddenly then began to fume again as Alphonse took his brother by the shoulder and tried uselessly to calm the boy down.

As the girl smiled at the boys, she turned her attention the man behind the counter. They spoke of whether or not she was going down to the chapel to see a Father Cornello today. The girl carried two large, completely filled, grocery bags in her hands as she smiled and nodded to the man. Around me, people started to talk about a ceremony that was going to happen today, that was going to start happening in a few minutes. I was interested.

I didn't pay any attention when Alphonse finished calming Edward down and turned back to the girl. I listened, though, just in time to hear the owner speak loudly one last time.

"Hey, Rose! You should take those boys to go and see Father Cornello! Maybe a spiritual pick-me-up is just what they need!" The owner said. Rose smiled and nodded as she then turned to the boys.

"Uh, no. That's ok," Alphonse said, putting up his hands. "We wouldn't want to intrude-"

"I think it's a great idea, Al!" Edward said suddenly. I could tell that he was planning something, but I couldn't quite tell what yet.

Rose smiled at the boys, waved as best she could to the owner, and walked off; the Elric brothers trailing behind her. I turned and ordered something as I listened to the threes conversation as they slowly walked away.

Edward turned secretly to Alphonse as they walked away. "Remember that woman at the shop? She knew me somehow… Have we ever met before?" He asked, looking over his shoulder.

Alphonse looked too, for just a moment, and then answered back to Edward. "No, I don't think so." He said softly as Rose laughed.

"You shouldn't worry!" She called a ways ahead of the two boys. "I'm sure Cornello will help you find whatever it is you're looking for. And I bet he could make you taller!" She giggled as Edward suddenly began fuming again.

"What's wrong with you people! I'm not short! You all come from a desert tribe full of giants or something!" He yelled. Alphonse had to grab hold of Edward's arm to hold him back.

"Brother, calm down!" He pleaded to Edward as they walked out of the range of me. I laughed to myself at how animated Edward was as I ate the food that was in front of me. I glanced back only once to watch them go completely out of sight on the other side of town. I was very curious Edward and Alphonse but I wasn't sure I would do anything about it. I had never really been curious about people I met in my travels, so this was new for me. I didn't know what to do about it, but I wasn't sure I would even do anything to begin with. As I ate, I thought about later. Maybe I would meet up with them...? My thoughts trailed off as the owner began to talk to me.

"So, are you a traveler, too, missy?"

"I guess you could call me that. I usually don't stay in one place for too long." I said, taking a bite of food. The man nodded, looking me up and down. I pretended not to notice. As I finished my meal, I pulled some yen out of my pocket and set it down on the counter. As the man wiped a glass, he noticed my movements.

"Hey, little lady! You leaving already?" He asked, genuinely curious. I smiled slightly. I knew that he wanted me to stay and see the ceremony, but I knew that I had already over stayed my welcome in this town. So much drama and interesting things in just one visit. While it was a good change of pace, I knew that if I stayed any longer that I would have to get a room to stay the night in and it would be more than my budget could handle this month.

"Sorry, but yeah. I think that I have over stayed my welcome..."

"Nonsense! At least say and see Father Cornello for yourself! It's not everyday a traveler as beau- I mean as different as you comes to a barren town like this!"

"Well, I may consider it. Thank you, sir." I said with a chuckle under my breath before grabbing my cart and walking away.

As interested as I was, I knew that I wouldn't be staying. Off to my left, I saw the Elric brothers' stand in the town's square, but I didn't investigate in. Sometimes it was best not to look into things I didn't know more about. But, somehow, I knew that one day I would see Edward and Alphonse Elric again. I didn't know when or where or even how, but it seemed somewhat comforting to know that I would see those boys again.

My mind wondered as my feet carried me out of the town called Liore...


End file.
